


Single Step

by severity_softly



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-12
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-05-13 11:36:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5706232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/severity_softly/pseuds/severity_softly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of ten drabbles that take place in Remus and Peter's first year at Hogwarts. Could be gen or pre-slash.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Single Step

**Author's Note:**

> Much thanks to innerslytherin for the beta! Originally published in March 2008.

Remus knew he wasn't supposed to be on this train. People like him didn't get chances like this to have an education. But then, Remus hadn't been taken when he was bitten. He was different. His mum liked to remind him of that.

He slipped into the first compartment he found that wasn't full and took a seat. A pudgy, round-faced boy across from him smiled.

"Di'you see the snack cart?"

"N-no," Remus said. 

"Hmn. I might have some chocoballs. Want some?" The other boy produced candy from his pocket. It had lint stuck to it.

Remus shook his head.

 

***

 

Several hours later, Remus and Peter were sitting under a banner of red and gold, eating. Peter was still talking, which Remus was thankful for, otherwise they might have been sitting in awkward silence.

"Mm, you think they'd pick magical creatures, or something," Peter mumbled, his mouth full. "I mean, lions, snakes, black birds... boring."

"What about Huffleduff?" Remus asked.

"'Puff. Umn. Bunnies, or something stupid."

Sirius barked a laugh. "Badgers! Don't you know anything?"

Peter flushed.

When Sirius' attentions turned elsewhere again, Remus leaned across the table and whispered, "At least you got the house name right."

Peter smiled. 

 

***

 

Peter, Remus discovered, after just a couple weeks, talked more when the others weren't around. 

"Your da? What's he do?" 

"Ministry." Remus bit his lip, leaning against a tree. It was growing dry out; leaves were falling around them. "Regulation and Control of... Magical Creatures."

"Oh, brilliant!"

"I guess." Crisp wind whipped past them. "What about yours?"

"Dead."

Remus' eyes snapped to Peter. "Sorry."

"I was little. He drank too much." Peter turned his head and grinned. "Mum tells people he got run over by a Guinness truck."

Peter laughed. Remus did, too, even if he wasn't sure he should.

 

*** 

 

"It'd be pretty amazing, don't you think? All those people cheering you on!" Peter looked flushed with excitement after the first Quidditch game of the year.

Remus grinned, watching Peter map out plays with his hands. "Maybe." 

"Really! He's diving, he's diving! Oh! Pettigrew makes the plaaaay! Gaaaame oooover! Gryffindor wiiiiins!" 

Peter mimicked a crowd cheering, and Remus laughed. "Try out when you can!"

Peter's hand drifted to his stomach, but he gave Remus a hopeful look. "Do you think I could?" 

"Sure, you could!"

For a moment Peter looked unsure, then he jumped back into his imaginary game commentary. 

 

***

 

Peter stayed over Christmas Hols to keep Remus company. Remus wondered if he had any friends at home. Remus didn't either. 

It hardly seemed to matter, though, with Peter sprawled across the foot of his bed, trying to hit the fairy lights with bubble charms. Even the dormitory was decorated; the entire castle looked unreal.

Peter's charm hit; the tiny, glowing fairy squeaked as she got trapped inside a bubble. Peter laughed, and Remus popped the bubble with his wand, but even Remus couldn't help but laugh, too, when she swore at them both and zoomed away across the room.

 

***

 

"It's deep. I can't swim." Peter looked nervous as a few students glided past him on the ice.

"It's frozen."

"Not completely!"

Remus' eyes widened, but he tugged Peter's gloved hand. "Frozen enough. No one's falling through. C'mon." He smiled kindly. "I've never done it before."

"What if the giant squid punches through from underneath?!"

Remus laughed. "You're being--"

"Don't laugh at me, Remus!"

Remus blinked. "Sorry."

"I don't like water."

"All right." They stared at each other for a moment, then Remus sat down in the snow, facing the lake. "We'll just watch."

"I don't like water."

"I'm sorry."

 

***

 

Slughorn didn't know. Remus knew Dumbledore had told McGonagall about him, and Pomfrey knew, but Slughorn had just yelled at him for dropping the knife.

"Never seen Sluggy with his knickers in such a twist," James teased. "Think you're his favourite, Remus."

"Allergic," Remus said nervously.

"Allergic to knives?" Sirius quipped.

"Silver," Remus amended, wishing his voice sounded more normal.

"Never heard of anyone allergic to metal before," Peter chimed in.

Remus shrugged.

"Next time you can use my gloves. Dragon hide." Peter nudged him. "Won't yell at you again."

Remus looked up and smiled at Peter thankfully. "Yeah. Thanks."

 

*** 

 

"Pro-- ow!" Peter fell on his arse.

"Quick with a wand, our Remus," James teased.

Peter screwed up his face and stood. "Shut up."

"Sorry," Remus whispered.

"Don't apologise, Lupin," their dueling teacher said. "Protego, Pettigrew. Quicker."

"I know the spell," Peter grumbled.

"Then do it."

"Someone else's turn."

"Not until you properly deflect Remus' spell."

"Professor, I don't--" Remus started, but stopped when she gave him a look. He lifted his wand. Someone laughed.

"Expelliarmus!" Peter shouted. 

Remus' wand went flying. He looked up, wide-eyed, to see Peter glaring at their professor.

"I'm done," Peter hissed, then stalked off.

 

*** 

 

Their daily walks outside after Herbology had become regular throughout the year. Winter cool was slowly giving way to warmth. 

"D'you think next year will be different?" 

Remus gave Peter look. "What do you mean?" 

"We won't be 'ickle firsties' anymore. We'll have more, mmm... status." 

"I guess." 

"Sometimes wish I was in Slytherin," Peter said, as if he was admitting something terrible. 

Remus laughed. "The house rivalry stuff is so stupid." 

"It's just... they don't get picked on so much, do they?"

Remus eyed Peter for a moment, until Peter looked away, then said, "Next year will be different."

 

***

 

When they stepped off the train, James' family looked excited to see him, Sirius' somber. Remus' da and Peter's mum both looked calm. 

"You'll write?" 

"Yeah," Remus answered, shading his eyes from the summer sun.

"Don't forget."

"I won't."

"Promise."

Remus laughed. "I promise."

Peter pressed something plastic into Remus' hand. "So you won't forget." He darted off toward his mum.

Remus opened his hand to find a Quidditch figurine, which stood up and glared at him, then got on its broom to hover in front of Remus' face. The name on his uniform read 'Pettigrew' in sloppy, hand-scrawled ink.


End file.
